A Cranky Christmas
by Archosy
Summary: Draco has been your average Ebenezer Scrooge this Christmas, he just has absolutely no spirit. But that'll change if Hermione Granger has anything to say about it. Christmas fluff. R


**Author's Note:** I couldn't help myself, I got inspired. Happy Christmas everyone! D

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

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"Bloody first years," Draco mumbled as he passed the group of first years who were discussing their holiday plans with each other.

Draco's hand found it in the pocket of his robes, and his fingers clutched tightly around the wrinkled piece of parchment. He scowled, tightening his grip around the piece of parchment in frustration. It wasn't as if he hadn't expected it, he just hadn't prepared himself for it. Pulling it out of his pocket, he unfolded the crinkled writing to read what was written again in his father's elegant script.

_Draco,_

_How is your year going so far, my son? Are you topping the mudblood yet? I should hope so, this is your last chance to prove to us that you have indeed held up to your family's intellegence. I hope to say that you will not fail me, Draco. Your mother sends her love. But I'm cutting the chit-chat, and getting the purpose of the letter. Unfortunately, business has called us to leave for the holidays. Thus you'll be staying at Hogwarts for Christmas Holidays. We'll see you at King's Cross at the end of the year, enclosed are some Chocolate Frogs, seeing as how we can't mail anything else while we're away._

_Lucius_

Draco, walking into the Slytherin common room, tossed the letter into the fire angrily. Even in a Christmas letter, his father had to find something to scold Draco about. This was just perfect. Please, note the sarcasm. This was absolutely horrible. No break from this blasted place, no way home, no way for presents. Draco grumbled. Every year he would always come home for the holidays, it was practically a tradition. He knew that 'business' meant doing something for the Dark Lord.

His dorm would be full of people he definitely didn't want to talk to, that was for sure. All the bafoons like Crabbe and Goyle would be bombarding him with idiotic questions that he didn't want to take the time to answer. No doubt they'd be discussing Christmas, too. And Draco definitely didn't want to discuss that. Looking towards the corner, he saw the Christmas tree where few presents were laying, placed there by the people who had purchased gifts for their friends.

This made him laugh. He had no idea why they did that. They just gave them to their friends before they both left off to be with their families, no reason to show it off. Though, he had to admit, he would want his gifts flaunted around as well, if he had any. Some may stay, true enough, but still, the fact irked Draco. Or was it that he himself had never had any presents at Hogwarts to flaunt from friends?

"What is the date today?'' Draco asked the closest person that was sitting on the couch across from him. It just so happened to be Theodore Nott.

"The 18th," Nott replied with no more before returning to reading _The Daily Prophet_.

Mumbling about how stupid this holiday was going to be this year, he exited the common room almost as soon as he had entered it. Another week, he had left. Another week, and then it would be over and done with. Tomorrow the students would be leaving for the holidays, so he would be left behind to do absolutely nothing until they returned. Yes, some were staying behind, but that didn't mean Draco didn't want them to be his company for the time. From who he knew was staying, he would much rather spend his time alone.

He figured he would sneak into the kitchens and sneak some late snacks, seeing as how he didn't feel up to finishing supper, though knowing his hunger wasn't fully satisfied. Still, he would have rather kept the food he had in his stomach, _in _his stomach, rather than heaving it right back up from Millicent Bulstrode making eyes at him any longer. Walking into the kitchens, he met with his own old house elf.

"Oh, Master Malfoy! What are you needing at this time of day? Would you like Dobby to get you something?" Dobby asked eagerly, surprised at the sight of his old master.

"Uhm, just a pumpkin pasty and a drink, thanks," What? He may be a full out prat sometimes, but he was raised with manners.

While waiting for Dobby to return, he heard a soft giggle around the corner to the other sides of the kitchens. This intrigued Draco that someone else, more importantly a _girl_, knew about the secret passageway to the kitchens? He didn't want to be seen, so he peered his head around the corner very discreetly. If they would have heard Dobby call him by his name, they would have said or done something already, so he didn't want to spoil it now.

He resisted the urge to call out a remark. _Of course_, he thought. Granger was putting things up in decoration for the house elves, helping them put up tinsel around the place. He had to notice that on the ladder she was currently straddling, her skirt was hiking up a few extra inches. What? He was a man after all. Mudblood or not, he was going to catch these things.

The house elves around her stared in wonder at her decorations. She just had to go out for the house elves, apparently she was still out on her crusade for them. Dobby calling him from behind startled him, causing him to jump. This captured Granger's attention, and her head snapped towards his direction. Draco cursed silently, as Granger's gaze kept on him. Her mouth opened to speak, only to startle Draco. "Would you like to help?"

What was this? Why wasn't she being a bitch? Or insulting him? Or punching him? Draco was bewildered, but covered his expression with a sneer. "Sure, I'll help a mudblood voluntarily." He rolled his eyes at her,

"No need to snap, I was just asking, there's no harm in that," She replied with innocently while fixing a piece of tinsel.

Draco stood agape. _Damn her_, he thought as he couldn't come up with a reply. Why was she not wanting to argue with him? His mood sure was up for one, but he didn't really have it in him to start it back up when she wasn't even going to retaliate. All he could do was glare beforeturning to Dobby and snatching the contents out of his hands and make his way back out into the corridors. Bloody wench, she must _love _these holidays, Draco guessed.

It was now December 23. Dear Merlin, Draco was going out of his mind. The students had only been gone a few days, and Draco was absolutely bored to death, no exaggerration. He'd tried a lot to entertain himself, and he still had at least another week to go before anyone was coming back. He had been out to the Black Lake, he had snuck around after hours for some exploring, he had done everything he could think of. No letters, nothing. The only thing that was worse was that there were decorations placed all over the castle for Christmas, making his mood even crabbier.

So here he was, lowering himself to reading random books in the library for no reason. But, the library seemed packed with students that were staying behind. Draco figured they were all having the same idea as him, bored as hell. So far, he'd randomly skimmed through three or four books, but had found one that captured his interest somewhat. It was just a book about different types of potions, Snape had granted him a note to look through the restricted section, of course. But it belonging in the restricted section, and a very old book apparently, Madam Pince wouldn't allow him to check it out. So he was forced to spend his time reading the book crammed in here with all these idiots.

Much to his misfortune, the empty chair across from him had been slid out and occupied. He was the only one who had a table to himself, and this person just came out of no where, not even bothering to ask. Mainly because he got the table farthest away from Madam Pince, not wanting her to bother him. Glancing up from his book, he groaned. Granger had stayed behind for Christmas as well. Just bloody fantastic.

A few minutes of silence passed before. Though, they could hear the whispering of the chattings going on amonst their peers around them. It wasn't long before Granger looked up from her book to look at him. "Why are you so down about the holidays?"

Draco looked up, surprised at her question. "What?" He asked, though they both knew that he had heard her question correctly. "I said, why are you so down about the holidays?"

"Why are you here?" Draco droned. He seriously did not want to deal with Granger today, especially when he finally found something to do. He didn't want his attention span to go to waste on such a pathetic conversation with an unimportant person. "Here in the library? Or here at Hogwarts for Christmas?"

"Both," Draco honsetly didn't care to know anything about the girl, so he didn't know why he was even asking. "My parents are doing a business deal away from home, they're getting an extra bonus for doing it. And I'm in the library for obvious reasons, just to find a book to interest me."

"Then why aren't you with Potty or Weasel?" He asked her. "I didn't want to intrude. Now answer my question since I answered yours, why are you so down about Christmas?"

"Granger, just because you tell me something doesn't mean I'm going to do the same. I enjoy my privacy." He replied with dully. Though, he sat up when catching onto something. "How come you're not asking about why I'm at Hogwarts like I did?" Was she not interested? It didn't matter if she did or not, but the thought of anyone not caring about Draco like that hurt a bit. He _was_ Draco Malfoy after all, damnit, he deserved attention.

"Because I don't see a need to find a reason for why someone's staying. I don't need to be _that _questioning of someone. I would just like to know about things that maybe I could help change, and your being here wouldn't be something I could have an effect on, I don't believe." Draco sat there, processing what she said. There was no way he would ever find out how she managed to cause that to sound completely complicated with a simple question.

"Well, how come you're not acting like a bitch?...Or hitting me? Or doing like you usually do?" He asked out of curiosity. This was something new. Now it was him that was keeping up the conversation, not her. "Because I never do intentionally,"

Draco began to sneer at her, that soured his mood. "What does that mean? Of course you do!" He managed to keep his voice a whisper to make sure not to get into trouble with Madam Pince. "No I haven't, I've always been civil with you at open opportunities. The only times I'm rude towards you, even though it is quite often, is when you provoke me. I'm not like a first year, Malfoy, I'm not going to sit and take it when someone goes at me."

Her words seemed to cause Draco to realize the truth in them. She was right. The two of them did argue alot, that was certain, but it was only if he started it. It was as though she wasn't even concerned about their fights. "Malfoy, you never answered my question,"

"Why do I need an excuse to not like Christmas? And it's not like it's any of your business anyways," He glared before picking up his book to put back on the shelf. Gods, he really needed away from this annoying woman.

Finally, the dreaded day arrived. Stupid bloody holiday. All the cheering, singing, present giving. Draco stingily clung to his box of chocolate frogs that had yet to be eaten. Walking out on the grounds was the only way he could escape all the idiots hung up on the day. And there was no way he was hanging behind in the common rooms, the only ones left in his own house were even worse than Crabbe and Goyle.

Draco jumped as he felt something hit him in the back all of a sudden. What in Merlin's beard? Was he being attacked? He turned his head to see a patch of white flakes on his black robes. So someone had thrown a snowball at him, he was surprised that someone would. Had they not noticed that he wanted to be alone? Stupid dolts. Ugh, it was bloody Granger again. Apparently, she was the perpetrator in this crime.

"What the hell was that for, Granger?!" He asked furiously. She just smiled back in return, before launching another one at him, hitting him on the arm. "Because, I feel like it. It's Christmas."

"Which means, leave me alone and - ARGH!" Draco was cut off by a face full of snow. Granger was smirking while rolling up another snowball. Smirking was his thing! Not hers! "So? What are you gonna do about it?"

"Nothing, I'm going to leave you with your idiotic bits of ice." Draco began to turn around when he felt repeated pounds of ice on his back. Granger sure had an arm on her, that was for sure. "Why are you tormenting me!?" He asked in despair. All he wanted was to sit and relax and complain to himself about the holidays. She just had to come out and ruin it.

"Because it's Christmas! You're supposed to be happy! All this week you've been moping and glaring and sneering!" Draco began to smirk at her, "So, you've been looking at me, have you?"

Her face fell, "Don't ruin it," Another snowball hit him. "Well, it seems like a lot if you've noticed all wee - ARGH!" Draco met with a face full of snow. "That is it," Draco wiped the snow off his face before conjuring up many snowballs and launched them at Granger, who widened her eyes in response.

Granger ducked just in time, as he began to charge towards her with more, "That's cheating!" He heard her yell.

"When was I ever known to play fair?" He joked. She began to run away from him and hide as he began retaliating what she had done before. Draco crept silently trying to find her by surprise and give her a taste of what it's like to get pelted in the face. Unfortunately, she surprised him, by revealing herself with many snowballs that found themselves somewhere on Draco's body.

More fighting ensued, laughing. It was odd, him and Granger laughing. Together, at that! It was shocking. If any of their friends or teachers would see this, they'd assume they were going off their rocker. But here they were, having a snowball fight together. Draco didn't know how long it'd been since he'd been this entertained over Christmas holidays.

Suddenly, she came towards him with surprising force, knocking him to the ground. They fell into the snow, breathing heavily. "That was...odd," Granger just smiled at him. "Why are you being...normal? Don't tell me you've had some secret crush on me all these years and this was some weird attempt to seduce me," Apparently, that wasn't the case as he saw Granger's face contort in disgust.

"Gods, no. Like I said, you were getting on my nerves with how you wouldn't do anything but glare at anything that related to Christmas. It's a joyful time of the year, even the biggest prat in the world deserves to be happy around this time."

"So you did all this," Draco began, very uncertain, "because I was annoying you?" She simply nodded, beginning to laugh at his expression. Wow, this was different for him. He almost felt like a kid again.

No, he's not saying he's got some weird liking for her or anything, Merlin no. But the snowball fight definitely had an impact. It just showed something different between them, a moment, a very lighthearted one. Well, now he was sounding unbelievably corny. But it was just a caring moment. Like those he used to share with his parents on Christmas morning when he was a tiny boy, before the Dark Lord nonsense came back up. They would run down the stairs together, with Narcissa and Lucius smiling as Draco opened his presents. He couldn't describe it, but it was just...there. It was something else, something that Hermione Granger had to show him.

"Merry Christmas, Malfoy,"


End file.
